1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carrying devices for snow skis and accessories and in particular to a carrying case for transporting and storing skis which fully encloses the skis during transport thereof and which is removably mountable upon a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Snow skis, by reason of their length, cannot be conveniently stored within most family type automobiles. The popularity of the sport coupled with the general requirement that the participant travel to a suitable place for skiing has led to the development of a variety of so-called "ski racks" which are variously mounted to the roof or trunk of a motor vehicle such as an automobile or the like to provide a means for transporting skis.
Inherent with participation in the sport, a substantial amount of this travel takes place over roads which must be cleared of snow and ice. Correspondingly, the roads thus traveled are frequently treated with salt or other materials for the purpose of removing the snow and ice from the roads or otherwise improving road conditions.
Prior art ski racks known to the present inventor secure the skis to the vehicle in such a way that the skis are at least partially exposed to the elements and the aforementioned snow and ice removing chemical which is thrown up by the vehicles as they travel on the roads. It is well known that a typical snow ski is fitted with expensive and carefully manufactured hardware and ski boot binders, and the skis themselves are typically made of such materials as aluminum or painted wood. As a consequence, the slush, salt spray and the like from the roads which is thrown onto the skis and the elements causes serious deterioration both to the skis and their hardware thereby ultimately rendering them unfit for use or requiring that they be fully reconditioned at substantial expense to the owner. While other enclosures for skis are known to be available, they either are in the form of flexible bags made of canvas or the like, or are only partial enclosures for skis, none is known to be designed as a part of a ski rack or capable of functioning as the invention disclosed herein.